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CPSC 538M: Systems Security

[**Overview**](#overview)  **//**  [**Registration and Prerequisites**](#registration-and-prerequisites)  **//**  [**Evaluation**](#course-structure-and-grading)  **//**  [**Class schedule**](#reading-list)

Overview

This is a research-oriented graduate course covering topics on security and privacy techniques for software systems in the web, cloud, mobile, and edge.

Learning objectives:

• get familiar with cutting edge research topics in systems security
• understand the key components of executing a systems security research project (both attack and defense mechanisms) from reading papers
• be able to apply the security research to your area of practice
• evaluate your interest in the field for future research

Instructor: Aastha Mehta ( [firstname]k[lastinitial] [AT] cs.ubc.ca )

Office hours: Mon, 12:00 - 13:00h PT, or by appointment

Class hours: Mon/Wed 10:30 – 12:00 hours PT, ORCH 4052

Web tools: Piazza

Registration and Prerequisites

Registration: Note, the last date to add/drop out of the course is 16 Sep 2024.

Prerequisites: Undergraduate knowledge of operating systems, architecture, networking, databases, and software engineering is essential. Any background in security is welcome but not required. The course is intended for Masters and Ph.D. students in Computer Science, but enterprising Bachelors students are welcome to participate.

Pre-requisites for bachelors students: CPSC 313, CPSC 317, and one of CPSC 435A or CPSC 436S.

Evaluation

The primary goal of this course is to prepare you to do research. Therefore, the evaluation for this course consists of only two components (tentative, subject to change until the beginning of the course):

• Class participation: 35%
• Project: 65%

Class participation (35%):

• Students are expected to read the assigned reading material before each class and come prepared with questions and a critical analysis of the papers. You are also encouraged to read the additional reading material. In the class, we will discuss the reading material and applications of the ideas beyond the papers. You are will be graded based on the quality of participation.
• In addition, each student is expected to give feedback on at least one other group’s project proposal. Your feedback will count towards your class participation points.

Project (65%): The course project must be done in teams of 2-4. The goal of the project is to conduct original research in computer security. You are encouraged to come up with your own ideas, but you can talk to the instructor for some ideas that are well-scoped for a course project.

The project deliverables will include a research proposal, a proposal presentation, a final presentation, and a final report. For more details, please check the project page.

Class schedule

Here is a tentative schedule of papers to be covered in the class.

(###) Additional reading

• How to read a paper
• This world of ours
• Not Even Close, The State of Computer Security

(###) Acknowledgements

UBC’s main Vancouver campus—including our classroom and other course spaces—is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. These lands have always been a place of learning for Musqueam youth, who were instructed in their culture, history, and tradition, and who in turn shared their knowledge with a new generation.